No Place Like Home
by GreenField
Summary: A sequel to the musical.What happens when Elphaba and Fiyero, along with their three children, decide to return to Oz to help Glinda and the Animals? Not everything is going to be easy, and not everyone is going to survive the upcoming revolution. Enjoy!
1. Prologue

A/N: I've been wanting to write a Wicked The Musical sequel for a while, and I came up with the idea for the sequel itself while I was desperately trying to get some sleep one night. Of course, I didn't get much sleep after that, I was too busy planning! Oh well, the life of a wannabe writer is never easy. Lol. Although I have read and enjoyed the book many times, I feel that my other story, Blue Diamonds, is already kind of a sequel to that, so the musical seemed more appealing. This is just the prologue, from Elphaba's POV, so it's not very long or very detailed, but it will get better, I promise! Enjoy, and please review! By the way, I read about a place called Ev in a few fan fictions, but I don't know if anyone singly made it up or not. If they did, please tell me and I will think up a new name. A lot of this belongs to Gregory Maguire, Stephen Schwarz and Winnie Holzman. Thanks a lot to them!

**We left for Ev as soon as we were sure that we were safe, that the coast was clear. Just the two of us, Fiyero and me. He was a clumsy, brainless scarecrow and I was the colour of summer grass, but no-one seemed to notice us. If they did, I suppose they were simply to scared to mention it. Not that I'm complaining.**

**We found our abandoned cottage as far away from the Ozian border as possible. It was perfect for us - at least, it had a place for us to sleep, a garden, chickens and food still stored. It was so unlike Kiamo Ko that it failed to remind me of Glinda - a very good thing, in Fiyero's opinion. Not mine. Sometimes, even now, I think about her. I think about how her beautiful face crumpled when I faked my own surrender. I think about the glee in her voice as she leapt and twirled about our dormitory, plying me with lipstick, flinging dress after dress at me. I think about the whine in her voice as she snatched my books away and begged me to come dancing or shopping instead. I always did.**

**I didn't have much time to think about any of this, at first. As I had handed the Grimmerie over to Glinda, I had slipped out the page on transformation, and had it clenched in my fist right up until the point that Fiyero had come for me. I hadn't dared try anything until we went to Ev. But he was human again within days. I managed it, he survived, we married not long after.**

**I gave birth to Liir Fiyero Tiggular first. It became clear to us that he was a true Ozian, like both of us - I was already pregnant when we arrived in Ev. Liir was so much like Fiyero. He had a neat pattern of blue diamonds, practically all over his pale skin. Yes, pale - his skin was the colour of snow. His hair was scruffy and brown, his eyes, however, emerald green. Though we had no idea where this unexpected colour had come from, we assumed it was because of the green in my skin. The name Liir was a name I had chosen, remembering part of the spell in the Grimmerie. The spell for true love. And Liir grew up very capable of love. We used to sing him songs from our time in Oz. His favourite was 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road'. I didn't know it, but Fiyero said he had learnt it when he was with Dorothy. Stupid farmgirl.**

**Rose came second. I had always liked the name Rose, and it seemed like honouring my sister, which Fiyero was quite happy to do. Rose Glinda Tiggular. That was my way of showing that I missed Glinda. I think Fiyero did too. Rose was a beautiful child. Her blue diamonds were draped like a garland across her collarbone, then extended, down between her breasts and in a long line down to her bellybutton, where they ended in a bigger blue diamond around her bellybutton. She, too, was pale, and I was glad, pleased that I hadn't inflicted this stupid curse on my children. She had long ,brown, glossy hair and the bright, cheerful blue eyes of her father. **_**Her**_** favourite song was the ones where I was most happy - that was the sort of child that she was. 'One Short Day' and 'As Long as You're Mine' always pleased her. Sometimes I tried to remember 'Popular' to sing to her, because I knew that she'd like it - but I had tried so hard to block it from my mind after leaving Glinda that I couldn't recall it anymore.**

**Melena was last, the baby of the family, and, honestly, my favourite. Melena Galinda Tiggular. Another memorial to the girl that my best friend had once been, and to my mother, who I still missed. Melena was the first to have my skin. It was lighter than mine, much lighter, but it was still mine. Somehow, that caused me to adore her more, even though I had been so scared of passing down the condition. She had the same pattern of diamonds as her elder sister, her hair was thick and black, like mine, her eyes were sorrowful and brown - like mine. She was me in miniature, my little girl, and I couldn't have loved her more. She hated all of the songs that Dorothy had made up. Her favourite songs were 'No Good Deed' and 'Defying Gravity', all the songs with power, with passion and huge decisions in them.**

**For some reason, that scared me more than anything. **


	2. Home

A/N: Okay, this is where the story really begins. It's Elphaba's daughter's point of view, Melena, as will be all other chapters in this story. I'm not too sure how long it will be though…but we'll see. I have made the decision to name each chapter after a song I like. Sometimes the lyrics won't match the chapter, but the titles always will. I'll Name the song and tell you who sings it most of the time. In this case, I can't, because I can't remember who sings it -but if you know and can tell me, I'd be grateful. It's the song 'Home' that they always play on Magic (my grandma listens to it). I do not own Wicked, but I wish I did. That's all I can be bothered to write as my disclaimer.

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"What?" I frowned, pushing my plate over to my nineteen year old brother Liir, so he could finish off my eggs. I hate the whites. I don't know why, if I'm honest.

"We're going back to Oz" my Dad, Fiyero, repeated. Liir and Rose glanced at each other, then back at our parents, who were smiling brightly at the three of us. I gave a little squeak of delight. I had always wanted to go back to the land where my parents grew up.

"We thought it would be best if we go now. We've been wanting to for a while, but we keep putting it off" Mum explained, snatching up the plates and flinging them into the sink. She flinched away from the water that gushed from the tap, and Dad got up to finish it instead.

"Why now?" snapped Rose, tossing her long brown ringlets over her shoulder. She thought that because she was eighteen she was the best thing since sliced bread. She wasn't.

Mum and Dad exchanged a brief but significant glance, and I knew that they were hiding something. Still, they never hid anything from us when we were still little, but now that we were older and wiser, they spoke a lot less freely.

"We just thought that it would be a good time. I mean, you're old enough to attend Shiz University, Rose. It would be wonderful for you to go there!" Mum said eagerly. I smiled at her, while Rose scowled.

"I guess I could" my sister said grudgingly. I meanwhile, was ecstatic. I had always wanted to go to Shiz.

"Really? Go to Shiz?" I asked delightedly. Mum grinned back at me, her facial expression the mirror image of mine. She knew that my dream was to go to Shiz.

"If you wanted to, honey. Not until you're seventeen, though" Dad answered with his infectious smile. I was only fifteen, so that statement hacked me off a bit.

"What about Kraminshia?" asked Liir suddenly. We all looked at him. Mum huffed crossly, Dad blushed, Rose and I smirked at each other. Kraminshia was Liir's girlfriend. She'd come over for dinner just a week ago. After six glasses of wine she had gotten extraordinarily drunk and flung herself at Dad, thinking that he was Liir. Mum had almost used a spell that she remembered to give her wings sprouting out of her back, but I had stopped her just in time. She always listened to me. But it seemed like my idiotic brother really did like Kraminshia, so I felt kind of bad for him that she was…well, a cheating little bitch.

"Well, you'll have to break up with her" Mum shrugged. As she turned away from him to pour me a drink, she winked at me. I giggled.

"Unless you want a long distance relationship" Dad added, grinning slyly at Mum. She snorted with laughter, then turned it into a cough.

"This could be a great opportunity for you too, Liir. You're maybe a little too close to the leaving age to attend Shiz, but you could find some other job" Mum suggested, leaning into Dad's arms as he sat down beside her.

"Maybe I'll find some military work" Liir said coldly. Mum tensed, Dad glared.

"No" he said shortly.

"That's a low way to get revenge ,Liir" I agreed reproachfully. Mum and Dad had told us all about their struggle with the Gale Force, the Ozian police. They were the ones who had half-killed Dad, who had helped spread the rumours about Mum.

Liir stood up, his chair scraping against the floor, "I'm going to see Kraminshia. I suppose I had better break the news"

"Why would you even bother?" asked Rose. Her expression softened suddenly. She was closer than _I _had ever been with Liir , as they were only months apart - something which I had always been jealous of.

"Stay" Mum said anxiously, "It's late, and we're leaving tomorrow"

"Tomorrow?!" I exclaimed, "We haven't even packed!"

"I'll be back in time to pack. I'm sure she'll want to hear it from me, and not the milkman or the paper boy,"Liir snapped firmly, leaving instantly. Dad sighed and looked at Mum.

"He takes after you" he complained.

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I sat on my narrow little bed that I had slept in for fifteen years. It would be strange to leave our house. There were so many memories.

In the living room, Dad got drunk at Lurlinemas, every year, without fail, and danced on the table, singing Dancing Through Life at the top of his voice. That was were we used to unwrap all our presents. We never had big presents, but it was always fun.

In the kitchen every Sunday we made pies and jams and cakes, and scoffed them all on the same day - Mum always had to make more while we were at school. Dad and Liir always skinned the chickens in the kitchen, and I'd come in to find the work surfaces covered in blood, and run out screaming while Dad followed me, wiggling his bloodstained fingers and hissing my name threateningly.

In Liir's room, all three of us kids had played War, endlessly choosing our sides and waving our pretend swords mechanically in the air, because Liir wanted to be a soldier in the Ev army. Rose and I had been specially inducted as the first female soldiers ever to join the elites.

In Rose's room, I had crawled into her bed every time Mum and Dad argued - and boy, could they argue. Mum always won, but not until a fierce raging battle had ensued for at least an hour. Rose had plaited my hair and taught me to wear make up and tried out dozens of different powders on my skin, and sometimes she had pretended to be me while I was her, so that for a while I knew what it was like to be pale and perfect.

In the garden, we had spent endless sunlit days as a family, rolling around in the grass, feeding the chicken, playing tag, picking apples, climbing trees, eating picnics. We sang and laughed and watched the stars sparkle and the moon glow.

In Mum and Dad's room, we had all cuddled into their big creaky bed, sharing silly secrets that we made up on the spot and telling stories.

And finally was my room. I had spent hours in here, getting ready for school, eating, sketching, reading, writing, working, singing. Pretty much just being alone, because sometimes a witch mother, mental father and irritating siblings got too much. I loved my room, just because it was mine, and my Mum often came in and spent hours with me. She was my favourite person in the world.

I snapped shut the clasps on my suitcase, taking a deep breath as I prepared to settle down to sleep for the last time. Rose appeared suddenly, her beautiful brown hair in a long plait, wearing a white nightgown.

"I can't close my suitcase! And I've already got six - Dad says I mustn't take any more, but I can't fit my dresses in!" she wailed pathetically. None of us knew where she got her dress sense and shopping obsession from , but Mum said it somehow had to stem from Glinda. Somehow.

"Six suitcases and you can't fit your dresses in?" I laughed, rolling my eyes like Mum, "I'll help you, if you want"

"Is Liir back yet?" Rose asked me anxiously. I shrugged.

"No. But he'll come. He has to"

"Why?"

"We're going home"

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A/N 2: Yes, that is cheesy. But cute, don't you think? Well, I hope so anyways. I can't wait to write the next chapter. By the way, Liir's actually really nice, he's just a bit hacked off with his parents. I mean, I get that sometimes too.


	3. Over the Rainbow

A/N: Right, I'm sorry it's taking me so long to update everything, it's the summer now and I've just been so busy!! So I'm really sorry, and hopefully I'll be able to update Blue Diamonds soon, plus I have another one-shot to do and I'm writing a Harry Potter fan fiction on their main website, so I'm extremely busy. This chapter, as you can see, is called Over The Rainbow, and I'm praying that you all know it. It's from one of my favourite films of all time, The Wizard of Oz, and is my mum's favourite. I prefer Ding-Dong The Witch Is Dead, even though I disapprove of it. This chapter is also dedicated to Judy Garland, who sang the song in the movie, and, although she played my least favourite character ever, thanks to Wicked, I think she was great. All copyrights go to the wonderful creators of Wicked the musical, and to the brilliant author of the same named book. Enjoy!

"Are you sure the luggage will actually come with us?" Dad asked doubtfully, eyeing Rose's pile of seven and half suitcases with apprehension. I knew he was thinking about how much money it would cost to replace all that stuff if the luggage _didn't _come with us.

"Nope" Mum replied absently, peering nervously at her piece of paper and mumbling words under her breath, "I'm not even sure that this is right… We just have to have hope"

"Hope?" Rose's lip curled in a sneer, but she didn't say anything else. Liir looked tired and grouchy, and when I smiled at him he didn't return the favour. I scowled crossly and picked up my small case, swinging it absent-mindedly until I whacked Dad on the leg.

"Right. So…Line up!" Mum ordered, like a army sergeant. We shuffled into our ramshackle version of a line, and waited for further instruction. Mum looked pleased with our obedience.

"Now.. Just close your eyes and say - 'There's No Place Like Home', while I do a chant" Mum decided eventually. Rose snorted.

"How… cheesy!" she laughed, but she closed her eyes.

"Wait -" Dad began, but Liir was already gone. Rose, Mum, Dad and I looked worriedly at each other.

"What is it, Fiyero?" Mum asked impatiently. Dad looked awkward.

"My Mum always said that home is the place where you were born" he said. Mum looked as if she didn't really make the connection.

"So? We were born in O- oh" she looked at me and Rose, "Oh dear. So you - you could end up in the right place, Fiyero, if you were actually born at Kiamo Ko.."

"I was" Dad confirmed, looking relieved. Mum was still thinking.

"And I….I'll end up in Colwen Grounds…or whatever the place was called. Rose, you'll just stay here…. Melena…. Oh dear God!"

"What??" I squeaked.

"Well, you'll end up in that horrible forest with all those awful Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh my!!"

"I thought they only had those in Oz?"

" No, they have them here too…oh dear…and where will Liir be now??"

"The shopping centre, here in Ev"

We all looked worriedly at each other. Mum looked back down at the paper.

"Well, it just says to think of the place that you think of as home…we can only hope that that's what Liir did..are you ready?"

I closed my eyes and chanted the words softly inside my head, like a spell, which, in a way, it was. I kept a tight hold to my suitcase the whole time, and I chanted over and over and over…..

I felt like I was flying. When I tried to open my eyes something in the back of my mind told me that they wouldn't open yet, and all I could see were flashes of rainbow colour in front of my open - or possibly still closed - eyes.

My feet hit ground, along with the rest of my body, and I heard a loud groan of pain. I tried to sit up and heard the groan again, upon which I realised that I wasn't sitting on the ground, but on my poor father's stomach. I jumped up quickly, and checked to make sure that he wasn't too badly hurt.

"You okay?" I asked him anxiously. He looked quite comical, lying there with this wimpy kid look on his face, but he nodded solemnly and stood up.

"I'm fine. I don't think you're light enough to sit on my lap anymore though, Mel"

I looked around anxiously, and found a row of handsome flying monkeys sitting tidily on a wall and staring down at us. I screamed, and grabbed tightly to Dad's arm.

"It's okay!" called a voice I knew well. I ran to Liir and hugged him, delighted to find him there and alive. He laughed in surprise, looking down and ruffling my long black hair.

"They're harmless" Liir continued, "They missed Mum. Where is she? And Rose?"

"They should be here by now" said Dad, squinting up at the sky as if the clouds would explain.

There was a sudden crash, and Mum appeared, holding a broomstick in one hand, and a suitcase in the other. She looked quite disgruntled, and her hair was a rumpled mess.

"That was not fun" she huffed, smiling tightly at us, "Where's Rose?"

"At Ev, I guess" Dad suggested, taking Mum's case from her and kissing her forehead, " I told her not to bring that much luggage!"

"Muuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!" A loud, piercing and very girlish shriek filled the air as Rose crashed into our midst, seven and a half suitcases following close behind her, tumbling down to the ground and bouncing around us. Her hair had come out of it's loose knot and she looked distinctly ruffled.

I giggled at her as Mum and Dad helped her up and fussed over a tiny scratch on her forearm. Liir laughed softly too, and we both turned away to avoid the hysterics building up inside us.

One of the monkeys leaned forward, wings waving gently in the wind. No matter how many times Mum had described them to me, no matter how many sketches I had done of them, the monkeys were even more glorious in the flesh. I stared at them keenly, eyes bright with curiosity.

"Miss-Miss Elphaba?" the monkey stammered. Mum looked away from Rose, a look of pure joy and amazement on her face, and stepped closer to the monkey.

"Chistery!" she cried in delight, "You can speak!"

"Yes, Miss Elpha-ba" Chistery said haltingly. Mum's face lit up as she reached up to the monkey and squeezed it's small paw.

"I'm so glad!! We've come back, for good" Mum's eyes watered as she said this, and I think it was the last two words that had the most impact.

"This is great, miss. Who bring with you?" Chistery looked curiously at us. Mum smiled at him.

"This is Liir, Rose and Melena. And you remember Fiyero?"

"Yes, miss, Fiewo love. You love Fiewo. Still?" Chistery seemed surprised. Mum laughed fondly.

"Yes, I still love him. Will you let us come back?"

"Is your house" Chistery shrugged. Dad stepped forward.

"Actually, it's my house" he pointed out, "She Borrowed it"

Mum rolled her eyes at him, then turned to us, "Pay attention, girls. Here you see a perfect example of Male Pride. Men must be seen to own everything. Don't ask me why"

Rose and I laughed, Dad and Liir looked indignant.

"I've been thinking" Liir began. We all interrupted with the chorus of a line we had repeated many times to many different people over the years.

"Yes, I heard" we chorused. Liir looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"Yes" he said, rolling his eyes, "Anyway, I have decided that, now that we're here, I'm going to go get a job. Does that meet your approval, parental unit?"

"Yes" Mum agreed, "Good idea. Don't mention your surname to anyone yet. Use my father's name Frexspar as a surname, just for now. Promise?"

"Promise" Liir agreed, looking suspicious, "I'll be back"

"Do you know the way?" Dad frowned. Liir shrugged.

"Er, no. See you later!"


	4. Something Bad

**A/n: This hasn't actually been too long a gap between chapter submissions, considering I was on holiday for a week and all. Okay, so this chapter is called Something Bad. If you don't know the song, then why the heck are you reading this fanficiton? You obviously haven't seen the musical, or you don't remember it. It's not my favourite song in the show by far, but it fits the chapter pretty well, especially when you consider who sings it. This chapter is dedicated to Andy Mace, who first played Doctor Dillamond (who sings the song) when I first saw the show, in the West End. I've been twice more since, and he was there the second time but not the third, and I thought he was great! All copyrights go to bla-bla-blah..well, we all know!**

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"No, I want this one!" I protested crossly. Rose stamped her foot, more childishly than usual. Her bun loosened even more and three pins fell to the stone floor. My lip twitched.

"It has a _wardrobe, _Melena!! I _need _a wardrobe! I must. Have. A. Wardrobe!" Rose shrieked. I burst out laughing, and her face flushed bright red. She has such bad anger management problems.

"I'm sure the other rooms have wardrobes, Rose" I reasoned. Rose's eyes got all big and shiny as she looked at the wardrobe.

"But this isn't just _any_ wardrobe. This is a _walk-in _wardrobe!" she sounded like a bad advertiser in the market. I groaned.

"Technically, Rose, it was built to be a study. I need a study. That's what the room was built for. Do you get my point?"

"No, I don't!" Rose snapped. Her scrawny, pale arms barred across my body with surprising force, and she forced me out of the door. I aimed a kick at her leg. She howled and slammed the door in my face. I banged on it for three minutes straight.

"_How_ old are you?" Mum yelled from somewhere.

"Fifteen!" I replied. I heard Dad burst out laughing, heard Mum's reluctant half-cackle.

I walked away from the door and started up and set of twisty stairs just off to the left. They made me feel a bit dizzy, but in a nice way. Like when I looked at the rainbow colours on my way here.

When I reached the top, I dumped my suitcases on the steps and opened the door infront of me. I wasn't sure whether it was supposed to be secret or not, but it so wasn't.

It wasn't locked either, and I knew what it was instantly.

Mum's room. Well, not her bedroom, but where she would have spent most of her time.

It was as full as it had been when she escaped, so as not to arouse suspicion. It was exactly as she had left it, exactly as they had left it, right down to the open book sitting on the stand. My breath caught in my throat. The Grimmerie.

No, wait. It couldn't be - Mum had given the Grimmerie to Glinda. It was just an old Shiz textbook with Dad's name on the front. I took it and opened the door leading off of the room.

It was a small, circular bedroom, with a narrow bed, stained glass windows, a wardrobe and a desk. They were two sets of drawers for storage too. Everything was carved to fit perfectly into every curve of the room, and I realised that I was in one of the towers. I had to have this room.

I walked over and examined the windows. One told the story of the fairy Lurline, and the other of the young princess Ozma. Just as I reached up to touch the glass, Mum called my name.

"Melena? Melena? I can see your suitcases…where are you?"

"In here" I called back, somewhat unhelpfully. Mum came in, a frown creasing her forehead, then smiled.

"This was my room!" she said, a note of surprise in her voice. I smiled too.

"Really? Can I have it? Please? It's so pretty…" my voice trailed off, "Unless you want it back?"

"No, your Dad and I will have his old room, it's much bigger than this one. I suppose you looked into the other room?" she asked casually.

"Maybe" I agreed, blushing. Mum laughed.

"It's okay. I think Glinda must visit from time to time, you know"

"How did you work that one out?" now I was confused.

"Did you open the wardrobe?"

"No"

"_Someone_ has sat in there and most painstakingly sewn sequins onto three of my five black dresses, and added a pair of pink shoes. I don't know when she thought I'd get to wear them"

I laughed, "That's really sweet"

"Yes" Mum agreed wistfully, "It is. I just hope she doesn't come back anytime soon" she paused, blinking rather rapidly, "I'm, err, going to….go and tell your Dad, okay? He'll want to see it, I think"

"Okay" I smiled sympathetically at her, and her cheeks turned a slightly darker shade of green as she struggled not to cry.

I watched her leave, then went over to the desk and opened the little draw. There were pieces of paper in there, and a quill or two, but no ink. There were a few boring looking documents printed on parchment, then a couple of old letters. Both of them were from Glinda to Mum. She'd signed her name at the bottom with kisses and a little heart. I didn't read the letters, although I wanted to - they were private. Instead I took them over to Mum's other room and put them in place of the book I had taken.

"_Mel! Rose_!" Liir came pounding up the stairs, dragging Rose behind him just a moment later. Rose was shrieking and squealing as she tripped up every step.

"Hey, you're back" I said, not really surprised. I was pretty used to Liir acting like a freak. He had the childish genes from Dad.

"I know why they bought us back!" Liir cried, slamming my bedroom door behind him and Rose. Rose, looking away from her hand mirror, stared at him.

"No way" she breathed, flinging the mirror away. I was staring too.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"It's obvious. I figured it out after I got my job"

"You got a job?" Rose squeaked. Then she frowned, "Who would hire _you_?"

I giggled. Liir scowled.

"Thanks, Rose" he snapped, "Anyway, so…there's a revolution going on"

"A revolution? What sort? Who's revolting?"

"You" Liir teased, grinning. I glared at him.

"Sorry, sorry. It's the Animals. With a capital A"

Rose and I 'oooed'.

"They're revolting against the …well, the government, basically. And you know who that includes, don't you?"

Rose looked confused. I gasped.

"Glinda!!"

"Exactly. So I think Mum found out about the Animals, somehow, and you know what she's like, she wanted to come back for them"

"But does she know about Glinda?" I asked urgently. Liir shrugged.

"I don't know. Should we tell her?"

"Yeah" said Rose, "It's only fair"

"Wait a minute" I was confused again, "What's your job?"

"Oh, right. I'm a soldier"

"_Liir_! Mum and Dad will be furious! How could you support those awful people? They'll make you kill Animals!!!"

"Not on their side, you doughnut. I'm fighting with the Animals. There's a few guys doing it actually, they all seemed okay. From what I saw anyway"

"Guys? Like soldier guys?" Rose giggled, fiddling with her hair. Liir and I glared at her.

"Shut up, Rose" we chorused. I smiled at Liir, then hugged him. I haven't done that for a few years.

"That's a really cool thing to do, Liir" I told him happily. He gently pushed me away, and ruffled my hair instead.

"Calm down, Mel" he joked, but he looked pretty proud of himself, I thought.

"You should tell Mum now" Rose said crossly.

"Me? On my own?" Liir looked kind of scared.

"No, us too" I said, glaring at Rose. She gave an exaggerated sigh.

"Oh, all right then"

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"Liir! When did you get back?" Dad sounded surprised when the three of us entered the room together.

"About ten minutes ago" Liir shrugged.

"How did the job hunting go?" Mum asked brightly.

"Did you bring us back because you knew that there was a war slash revolution going on between the Animals and the government of the Emerald City?" Rose asked bluntly. Mum and Dad both blushed.

"No" said Dad quickly.

"Liar" I accused, rolling my eyes. They both looked awkward.

"Okay, maybe we did. I just wanted to help!" Mum explained anxiously.

"It's okay" said Liir, "We just wanted to know. I got a job as a soldier in the revolution war, you see"

Dad went almost purple with rage. He never gets angry, so I was pretty shocked. Mum did the opposite, going as pale as her emerald green skin could manage.

"Liir! How-" Dad began, but Liir interrupted.

"None of you think very good of me, do you? I meant I got a job as a soldier _on the Animal's side_! Seriously!" Liir huffed. Mum shrieked almost girlishly and hugged him tightly. Liir blushed and squirmed. He couldn't move Mum away as easily as he had me.

"Mum!" he complained, "I'm glad you're happy and all, but for Oz's sake let _go_ of me!"

Mum laughed fondly and let him go, but not before smacking a huge kiss on his forehead. He groaned and wiped it away with the back of his hand.

"There's bad news too" I added. Mum and Dad looked instantly worried again.

"It's Glinda" said Liir.

"She's in the government" said Rose, sounding proud of this new knowledge.

"And that means that she'll fight against the Animals. And you gave her the Grimmerie. She might use it" I pointed out. Mum laughed bitterly.

"Good God no, she won't have figured that much out. She's a dim blonde, remember, as much as I do love her. But I see what you mean. How could she even think…she thinks that I'm dead. She'll know that that it what I 'died' for. To help the Animals! Why would she.."

Okay, so they hadn't known about Glinda. Oops.

"We'll have to go and see her" said Dad eventually, "We'll have to go and see her tomorrow"

"How?!" Mum shrieked, "Everyone thinks we're dead! It's going to look a bit suspicious if we turn up in the city on a visit!"

"We'll figure it out" Dad said firmly, "We just need to use our brains"

Mum's lips twitched when he said that, but she still looked worried,

"I don't know, Fiyero…"

"Do we really have a choice?"


	5. Run and Tell That

**A/N: Sorry it's taken so long for me to upload this, I've been really busy lately, plus I have four other fanfictions on the go! Hope you like this one, the song this time is Run And Tell That, from Hairspray, and this chapter is dedicated to the amazing Dianne Pilkington, who plays Galinda/Glinda in the West End. Once again I do not own Wicked. Just so we can clear that up. Xxxxxx**

"Look, Elphie, honey, I really don't want to go blonde" Dad whines, tugging at a lock of his blonde wig to peer at it. Mum rolls her eyes.

"Fiyero, it's a wig. You can take it off as soon as we get to see Glinda, I promise "she sighs, turning back to the mirror. Rose has lent her some chalk-like makeup to put on her face, in a pretty vain attempt to cover up her emerald green skin. I'd used a little bit too, though my faintly green hue is barely noticeable.

"You look almost normal, Mum" Liir grins, sounding more than a little surprised. Mum examines herself closely.

"Do I?" she asks me self-consciously. I can see Dad staring at her in a kind of amazed way out of the corner of my eye.

"Yeah. Trust me, no-one would ever be able to figure out who you are" I swear, and I'm telling the truth. We all decided to don disguises for our meeting with Glinda. We have a plan all worked out, but we're not sure how it's going to pan out, and Dad doesn't like it too much. But it has to be done. So Dad has gone blonde for the occasion and Mum is now a nice normal skin tone with a red wig on. She looks freakier than she does normally, but oh well. We need to do this.

We haven't got a choice.

*************************************************************************

"Good day to you Sir" says Rose brightly as we sweep past the guard at the door leading to a corridor which we know leads to the chambers of Lady Glinda. I'm a little nervous.

The man flings an arm out to stop us.

"And who are you?" he asks sternly. His voice booms out around the hallway and Mum flinches. He reminds her of someone, I can see it in her eyes. Does she actually know him??

"You don't remember me?!" Rose pretends to be upset, pouting a little. The guard leers at her. I can smell alcohol on him and wonder if Glinda knows about his drinking habits.

"Sorry, Miss, but I'm sure I'd remember a pretty little thing like you" he grins. Dad's fists clench. Rose smiles flirtily at the guard.

"You should remember me. We've spent a lot of time together over the past couple of months. Whenever you come over to the bar"

It was a long shot, but we found out through a few days of observation that most guards like to go to the Green Gatehouse bar when they come off their shifts at work. Half of them leave with prostitutes. True fact.

"Ah, you're one of the pretty whores from the bar!" the man exclaims, "Well it's lovely to see you again"

"Oh, I'm not a whore. I just go to the bar a lot. I'm Lady Glinda's personal shopper? I'm dropping over the dress we picked earlier this week. Did she not tell you about it?" Rose asks innocently, holding up her prop – a dry cleaners dress bag with one of her own blue silk gowns zipped inside.

"It must have slipped her mind. Lady Glinda buys a lot of dresses" he narrows his eyes at the rest of us, in a huddle behind Rose, "But who are all these people?"

"Don't you remember them either?" Rose sounds shocked, "This here is Guisse, he works in the boutique Lady Glinda so often frequents? And Emera, Lady Glinda's dear new lady in waiting? And my siblings, Lucas and Melissa?"

"I must be getting forgetful" frowns the guard, scratching his head. Rose gives him a reproachful look.

"Yes, you must be" she agrees forlornly, "May we continue with our business?"

"If you must" he says slowly, still looking confused. Rose flashes him a glowing smile and leads us down the corridor. We all stay in a close huddle, not wanting to appear to happy, or too celebratory. Mum hisses directions in Rose's ear, incase the guard is still watching, so that it looks like Rose is leading us. Dad knocks on the door, removing his blonde wig as he does so.

A woman in her thirties, maybe very early forties, opens the green door. Her face is flushed, like she has been running – or maybe it's just too much blusher. Her eyes are big and blue, looking darker in her pale face, which is surrounded by thick, blonde, fluffy curls. She is thin, not slim, but thin, so that her wrists are a little knobbly and some of her bones are visible. She wears a sugar-candy pink nightgown that is very translucent and doesn't leave a lot to the imagination. Her lips pucker in confusion when she sees Dad. Behind him, invisible to the woman, is Mum, trying to ease off her red wig and cast loose her hair, tearing off her gloves to reveal her green hands.

"Can I help you?" she asks, with a slight yawn. Dad stares at her.

"Glinda?! Is that you? You look so different!" he squawks. Glinda frowns at him in confusion. Her eyes widen suddenly. She rubs them fiercely with her knuckles, like a child waking up from a dream.

"Fiyero?" she croaks, "Is that – but you're dead, aren't you? Are you a ghost? No, I must be going mad – you're dead, and so is Elphie. You both left me" her voice is accusing and almost shrill. Dad shakes his head earnestly.

"No, No Glinda, look, Elphaba's here too!" he whispers. Glinda looks around, her face lit up with a deeply buried hope that has only just resurfaced. Mum appears from behind Dad. She holds out her bright emerald hand towards Glinda, palm facing upwards. Glinda stares at it, then ushers us in.

Her chambers clash horribly with the green outside – everything is pink and lacy. She flops down onto her bed with it's pink beaded duvet and looks at us.

"Who put you up to this?" she hisses. Dad and Mum look at each other in confusion.

"What do you mean, Glin?" Mum asks gently, "It's me, it's Elphie"

"Elphie's dead!"Glinda shrieks suddenly, and bursts into tears, "Elphie's dead! She left, she went away and she's not going to come back now. She left me and I needed her! You can't be her, she's dead, I saw it myself, I was there!"

"No, Glinda, I'm not dead. I'm here. I had to go away for a while, but i've come back now. I'm back to help you" Mum says soothingly. Glinda glares at her.

"Well you're twenty years too late!" she cries out in a rage, "Prove it! Prove that you're Elphie! My Elphie. Tell me something only she would know" Glinda demands. Mum sits down besides her, takes the pale, pampered, manicured hands in hers and starts to sing, very quietely. Tears spring to my eyes as I recognise the song. For Good.

"Like a ship blown from its mooring by a wind off the sea, like a seed dropped by a sky-bird, in a distant wood" she sings it a little slower than usual. Glinda smiles suddenly.

"Who can say if i've been changed for the better" she chimes in, "But because I knew you, I have been changed, for good"

Mum pulls Glinda into a hug that looks as though it might break her, but Glinda squeezes just as tightly back.

"Elphie!" she wails joyfully. She pulls away from Mum and leaps towards Dad. He catches her just in time.

"Fiyero!" she cries, kissing him ferociously on both cheeks. Mum coughs sternly.

"Glinda, we're married now, remember?" she points out. Glinda blushes, moving away from Dad.

"Oh yes! I remember now! But so am I!"

"To who?" Mum and Dad chorus. Glinda smiles brightly.

"Avaric. We have children, too. Shall I go call them?" she suggests eagerly. Liir coughs loudly.

"Yes, and talking of children, is anyone going to bother to introduce us?" he asks, irritated. Glinda squeals and claps her hands in excitement.

"Ooh! You have children!" she turns to us curiously. Mum nods.

"Yes, this is Liir Fiyero, Rose Glinda and Melena Galinda" Mum explains. Glinda smiles at the use of our names.

"I have two girls. Fabala and Pippa" she tells us. Mum laughs.

"Fabala. Wow, I'd forgotten that nickname"

"It's what your father called you, isn't it?" Glinda asks anxiously, "I did get it right, didn't I?"

"Of course" Mum smiled, "Yes, call your daughters"

"And Avaric" Dad puts in quickly. I guess all the girly touchy-feely stuff is getting a bit much for him. Or maybe he's just missing his old Shiz roommate.

"Avaric! Girls! You won't believe who's come to visit us!" Glinda trills loudly. She disappears from the room, leaving us all standing in an awkward huddle. I notice that Mum is hastily wiping tears from her eyes. Dad gives her a hug.

Glinda comes back into the room, towing a dark and handsome man who looks a little like Dad by the hand. Two girls follow. One looks about Rose's age, the other maybe a year younger than me. They are both stunning. The older one has fluffy angelic curls like her mother, with plump, pouty lips and big dark eyes. Her nightdress is just as revealing as Glinda's. The younger girl has dark hair and bright blue eyes. Her arms are folded tightly over her chest, guarding a book that she holds there. I smile at her. She grins back.

"Fiyero!" Avaric cries out. Him and Dad fall into a manly hug and go on to perform an odd sort of secret handshake that makes me giggle behind my hand. The blue-eyed girl is giggling too. Glinda and Mum roll their eyes.

"Who are you?" asks the older girl. She's not speaking to anyone but Liir – her eyes skim over him as if she wants to eat him up. He is looking at her in the same way. Mum and Glinda grin in a conspirational way at each other.

"I'm Liir Tiggular" Liir introduces himself. He kisses her hand. Dad nods his head approvingly and says to Avaric.

"That's my boy. He has a way with the ladies"

"As long as he's good to her, he's welcome to her" says Avaric with a teasing grin. The girl smiles at Liir.

"I'm Fabala" she tells him, but she looks around the room at the rest of us too. Her face lights up when she sees Rose.

"That scarf is just so Ozmopolitan!" she squeals. Rose squeals too.

"I know, right?"

The younger girl and I look at each other in exasperation.

"I'm Pippa" she mumbles, with a smile that could light up the whole city. I like her instantly.

"This is Elphaba – do you remember, I told you about her?" Glinda prompts her daughters.

"Vividly" Fabala drawls, "She was your best friend in university, the best friend you ever had, Fabala was her nickname...we know the whole story about five hundred times over"

Rose laughs, "We do too. We used to get songs sung to us and everything"

"We still do, when Dad gets drunk at Lurlinemas" Liir points out. I laugh too.

"Glinda, we did actually come to see you today for a very important reason" Mum begins hesitantly. Glinda looks curiously at her.

"What is it, Elphie?" she asks worriedly. Mum gives a an encouraging smile, then sighs.

"We know about the war going on" she admits. Glinda freezes.

"Oh. That. Right. Well. It's, um...it wasn't my idea, it's just that.."

"You aren't on their side, are you?" Mum cuts over Glinda's juddering speech sharply. Glinda blushes.

"Well, yes, I am, it's just that...my position is still very unstable, and I, um..." she trails off, her voice barely above a whisper. She looks pretty scared of Mum right now. I feel instantly sympathetic. How many times have I been on the receiving end of Mum's rage?

"Glinda, what the Hell are you playing at?!" Mum explodes.

**A/N: Yes, I know, a strange point to end the chapter, but I have big plans for the next one. Please review!**


	6. The Fear

**A/N: I am so so sorry about the amount of time this has taken!!! I kept meaning to do it and it just slips out of my mind – but i'm here now, so don't worry, I'm not dead or anything. So, I apologise once again and hope you enjoy this. Please review!! The song for this chapter is The Fear by Lily Allen, and this is dedicated to the gorgeous, the fantastic, the truly Ozmopolitan Oliver Tompsett, who plays Fiyero in London! I love you, Ollie!!**

Glinda opens her mouth to reply, then closes it again. She does this several times, like a goldfish, before stammering out a simple reply.

"I can – I – I can exp-plain" she stutters, almost trembling. I see Dad and Avaric exchange a worried look as they take note of the expression on Mum's face.

"Will she kill Glinda if she doesn't like the explanation?" I hear Avaric whisper. My lip twitches, wanting badly to laugh.

"We can only hope that her fondness for Glinda stops her from doing just that" Dad hisses back. They look at each other again, then back at Mum and Glinda. Mum is on her feet, tapping one of her booted feet on the floor, arms folded and a stern glare on her face. Glinda stands there like a hunted animal, her blue eyes wide and lips trembling.

I hear a giggle and turn to look at the brave person who let it out. It's Fabala – she's whispering to Liir and they're both grinning, Fabala's lips at his ear. Pippa and I exchange an exasperated glance. Rose shakes her head at us, paying almost devoted attention to the tension charging between Mum and Glinda.

"Well? Explain" Mum orders. Glinda blushes. Mum's eyes widen suddenly and she makes a disgusted sound.

"Glinda, please don't tell me that this is about your _vanity_. Please don't tell me that this is about your _public image_" she hisses.

"Well, um...it sort of is" Glinda mumbles. Mum sighs.

"Wow, Glin, this better be good" she says eventually, sitting down. Glinda joins her, looking awkward. Even Fabala and Liir are quiet now, curious.

"It's just...after you went away – I still want to know what the Oz happened there, by the way – I promised the Ozians....well. That life would be better. That there might still be some hard times, but I'd be here, and I would be Glinda the Good"

"Ugh" says Mum, rolling her eyes, "How twee"

"That may be so, but it's worked, hasn't it?!" Glinda snaps, getting angry, "I can do pretty well without you, Elphie!"

"Okay, I'm sorry, Glinda! Just – explain. Please" Mum tries to calm Glinda down, and it seems to work. Glinda seems to know that Mum's serious – she knows as well as I do that Mum never says please.

"Well, so, like I said, it's worked, and it's working still. But then this whole revolution thing started, and people are panicking, they're getting scared. Everyone's been teaching them to think that the Animals are bad, rabid_, vicious_ things that will kill them without a second thought, and they're turning to me! Because they think that I helped to...to kill you. Which I didn't, as you know, because you're still alive. And I didn't even help with the faked death thing. So there"

"I wanted to tell you" Mum interrupts, "Fiyero said no"

Glinda and Mum both give Dad fierce scowls. He backs away from them slowly, indignant.

"Hey, that's not fair! I just thought we'd be safer if no-one knew. It's nothing personal, Glin"

Glinda gives him a little smile and continues, "So I have no choice but to help them. It's different here now, Elphie. There's no Wizard, no Madam Morrible, but I'm still not the boss here. There's people who are in charge, proper government people, like the ones that put that lion cub in that cage all those years ago, who don't want peace and unity between humans and Animals. _And I can't do anything to stop them_! I tried, I brought it up at one of those meetings – I bought a new suit and everything –"

"What colour was the suit?" Rose interrupts. Glinda looks at her in confusion.

"Pink, of course. Why do you ask?"

"That's why" says Rose, shaking her head forlornly, "I've come to notice that no-one takes you seriously when you wear pink all the time"

"Really?" Glinda looks interested, but Mum coughs loudly.

"Glinda" she says sternly, "_What happened at the meeting_?"

"What? Oh, right, the meeting. Yes. So I told them all about how the Animals weren't really vicious like they were saying – they're just like I people, is what I said, only not as pretty. And they laughed at me at first, but I got more and more serious, telling them I had had a friend at university who was a big supporter of Animal Rights, and it had made a lasting impression on me and stuff like that. So then they got serious too. They got angry. They told me that if I didn't go along with it, they would label me as one of them, a villain, a witch – just like they did with you, Elphie – and then the entire land would turn against me and fight against me! And I knew they were right. They are right. And I know you're all brave about stuff like that, but I'm not, Elphie. I don't want to die" Glinda starts wailing suddenly, and Mum sighs and hugs her,

"There, there, Glinda. We'll help you. Me and Fiyero, we'll sort this out" she promises, looking at Dad. He nods minutely, happy to go along with anything she suggests, as always.

Glinda snivels, looking bright and hopeful, "Really? Will you?"

"Of course" says Mum firmly, "Liir has already joined the army, fighting on the Animals' side. He says there are a few other soldiers, but surely we can round up more? Boq's family, would they help? And there must be some men on your side of the family, Avaric?"

Avaric nods, "Yes, I guess so"

"Good. We can do this. We can help the Animals to win without anyone knowing that you ever got involved" Mum says, patting Glinda reassuringly. Glinda beams and picks up a fluffy personal organiser.

"We need to plan!" she trills, and I see the silly girl that she once was in that smile, "Now, I can't do tomorrow, I have a ribbon cutting ceremony. Then the next day I have shopping planned – "

"Cancel the shopping" Mum orders, "This is way more important, Glinda"

We leave the adults talking. Rose is already chatting to Fabala, while Liir has his arm around Fabala's waist. I'll give him credit – he's a fast worker. I turn to Pippa. She's smiling at me, pretty and sweet.

"How old are you?" she asks me curiously, "I'm fourteen"

"Fifteen" I reply with a grimace, "I wish I was sixteen. Then I could go to Shiz"

"I want to go to Shiz too!" Pippa squeals. Rose and Fabala look at us.

"Nerds" they chorus, rolling their eyes.

"Sluts" Pippa and I sing out at exactly the same time. We both giggle.

"Do you read a lot?" Pippa asks me, "I love reading. Here, this is one of my favourites" she hands me over the book I saw her clutching earlier and I take it, excited.

"This is one of my favourites too!" I grin. She grins back.

"I think we're going to get on very well" she says. I nod in agreement.

"Me too"

**A/N: I'm really excited about the next chapter – there will be romance!! I love romance. Hehe. Happy New year!! xx**


	7. What is this feeling?

**A/N: I've been quite looking forward to looking to writing this; I do love a bit of romance. Please review, hope you enjoy it!**

"Melena, where is your brother?" Mum asks me suddenly as I appear in the kitchen doorway, which is so big that at least three of me could fit in the gap. I know that voice she's using. It's her stressed voice. It's her 'if-you-carry-on-I-will-kill-you-so-help-me-Lurline' voice. It absolutely terrifies me.

"He's gone out for something; he left about an hour ago. He didn't say why" I tell her nervously. She just looks at me, then groans.

"Honestly, Melena, why do I put myself up for these things? I don't want to have Glinda over for dinner! I don't know why I even offered" she says despairingly. I laugh.

"Because you're a glutton for punishment?" I suggest with a grin. Mum's lips twitch as she fights a smile and aims a swipe at me with a cloth.

"Silly scarecrow" she says fondly, "Will you just finish this pastry for me while I go and find some wine? I do hope it's good wine, because she will complain if it isn't. You know Glinda"

_I don't actually really know her at all_, I think as my mother leaves the room_, I only know what I've been told, and what I_ _saw the other week._

I dig the knife carefully into the pie crust, making pretty patterns that look like sunrays. I'm concentrating so hard that I don't hear the crash of the back door, and I jump out of my skin when Liir says from behind me;

"Hey, Mellie!" and pulls on my dark hair. I turn round to glare at him, brandishing the knife. He backs away with a smirk.

"What you gonna do, Mellie?" he taunts, using my childish nickname, used only by him.

"I'm gonna cut off all of your pretty-boy hair" I threaten in return. He actually looks worried for a second, then he grins.

"I bought my friend to dinner. He's an Animal soldier, like me" he explains, "Birian, come on in. You can help me torture my baby sister"

"I'm not a baby" I snap, wincing as I imagine a horrid cocky soldier type like Liir, another brother to torment me. But I am shocked to my very core at the sight of him.

His hair is dark, maybe black, and he has emerald green eyes like Rose. His clothes aren't all smart and uniform-y like I expected, instead they too are dark and scruffy. He gives me the most glorious smile I've ever seen. I want to stammer out a greeting, but I find my mouth incapable of moving.

"I think you exaggerated a bit, Liir" he says thoughtfully, "She doesn't look like a baby to me"

I smile at that and hold out my hand, "I'm Melena" I tell him nervously, wondering if he has noticed the faint green hue in my skin. I remember with shame that I'm wearing a short, ragged top that shows my flat, blue diamond covered stomach.

"Birian" he replies in way of answering, kissing my cheek very lightly and completely ignoring the hand I'm holding out. My heart starts hammering and his lip twists as if he can hear it.

"Melena! Mel! Mum needs your help, she's going insane about some sort of pie, she says it needs to go in the oven now" Rose stops short in the doorway, her gemstone eyes wide and flirtatious as she looks at Birian. That's not good.

"I didn't realise we had company" she says, smiling. She looks at me briefly.

"Well, Melena? The pie?" she adds, her eyes darting back to Birian. I know what she's doing – she's trying to make me seem like a silly little girl, almost servant like. She hates it when boys look at me more than her. It only happened once, back in Ev, and she's never forgiven me. She tormented me for weeks afterwards and she still resents me for it.

"I've got it" I whisper. I give her a pleading look, but she misses it completely, as Liir is reintroducing Birian. She nods intently and then beams.

"I do like a soldier" she says, her voice sweet yet alluring at the same time. I wish I could do that.

I turn away from her, furious, as I shove the pie into the cooker, then scribble down the time on the wall with a piece of coal. Mum will moan at me for that later, but right now I honestly don't care. I don't see why I should have to be put in the back just because Rose can't get over herself.

"I'll take you to meet Dad and Mum" Rose offers, looping her arm through his and sparkling at him, "Liir can come too"

Birian turns back to look at me, Rose on one side of him and Liir on the other, and I'm pleased to see he looks pretty reluctant to being dragged off by Rose.

"Aren't you coming, Melena?" he asks, almost pleading. I look away from him, down at my pastry-coated hands, and give a small smile.

"No. I've got things to do" I say, but I make sure not to hide the regret in my voice. He smiles forlornly too, and then is pulled away. I groan softly to myself, infuriated with Rose.

Mum appears in the doorway, holding two bottles of wine and looking stressed out, but she halts when she sees me.

"Did you put the pie in?" she asks abruptly. I nod, defeated.

"Yes. Of course" I mumble. She looks more thoughtfully at me, plonking down the bottles and shutting the heavy kitchen door.

"Birian is nice, isn't he?" she offers, eyeing me critically. Seeing my blush and minute nod, she smiles triumphantly.

"I thought so. But Rose is in the way again, isn't she?"

"Yes. She's paying me back for Percy. D'you remember him, that kid from Ev?" I say. Mum nods and pats my shoulder gently.

"I see. But you'll see, Melena. If he's worth it, he'll come for you"

"Like Dad? Leaving Glinda for you?"

Mum nods, "Exactly"

I shrug, "I doubt it. I'm just not that girl"

We both crack a smile at that, and I throw myself into the hugely hectic cooking work with Mum, flying round the kitchen like a whirlwind until I can hardly even think of what Birian looks like.

* * *

I sit down to dinner between Pippa and Birian (I have a feeling that Mum engineered this). The other side of Birian is Liir, with Fabala next to him, and Rose next to her, and then Dad and Mum and Glinda and Avaric.

The adults are soon half-comatose with wine, getting soppy and sentimental about 'the good old days'. Liir and Fabala are certainly getting cosy in the corner, while Pippa and I watch with disgust. Even though Rose isn't sitting next to Birian, she somehow manages to claim his attention through all three courses of the meal, a feat I could never attempt. But, strangely, even in the middle of Rose's unceasing chatter, he turns to me just as Mum is collecting the dessert bowls and Pippa offers to help.

"Did you help with the dessert, Melena?" he asks me, "It was delicious"

I give him a tense smile, "Yes, a little. I'm glad you liked it"

"I do. I like it very much" he says thoughtfully. Now I have no idea what he's talking about, and I flounder uselessly for a minute until he starts up again.

"What do you think of the upcoming revolution?" he asks. I'm pleasantly surprised. The rest of my family seems to think I'm too stupid to talk about matters like revolution and war. It's nice to have someone next to me who believes I'm quite capable of discussing such serious things.

"I think it's only right and fair" I tell him firmly, "If the Animals are being badly treated, then it's their prerogative to stand their ground and fight for what they want. It's what I would do if I wanted something that should naturally be mine"

I realise the truth of my words regarding Birian and give a little smile, "Although sometimes it can be difficult to figure out which are your rights and which are the rights of others"

Birian smiles, "I quite agree. In fact, I –"

"Birian!" Rose calls demandingly across the table, glowing at him, "You don't need to waste your time entertaining the baby of the family. Come over here and play a game with Fabala, Liir and me"

He walks over to her without giving me a second glance. I find Pippa standing by my side, looking at me sympathetically.

"I'm sorry to say it, but your sister isn't very nice sometimes, is she?" she says musingly.

I sigh, watching her talk to Birian, and shake my head, "No, she really isn't" I agree forlornly.

**A/N: I know it's quite short, but I hope you like it anyway. I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter and that really upsets me, so I've decided I'm going to be mean and not do the next chapter until I get at least three reviews. I don't think that's too much to ask, really. Thank you!**


	8. Naive

**A/N: I can't even begin to apologise, I didn't realise how long it had been! I'd actually forgotten that this story even existed...until I went to see Wicked for the fifth time last week! I'm really sorry, please continue to review! I'm really grateful for all my reviews, especially the ones I got sent in my absence! Song is Naive, the Lily Allen version.**

"I don't know why we can't be involved!" I complain. The sun shines bright over the gardens of Kiamo Ko, my new home, but inside the castle my parents, Glinda and Avaric are planning a revolution for Animals that they haven't even met yet. They're communicating through Birian and Liir, but it's not the most ideal situation. If I was in charge, I'd organise a meeting. Of course, if I was in charge, that would mean they'd actually have to listen to me, and Oz forbid that ever happening.

"Relax, Mellie" I hate the fact that Rose has started using my childhood nickname too – she's only doing it to keep Birian's mind on her. She can be such a cow sometimes.

Still, I've got to admit, although I'd love to be involved in the planning of the revolution, I am enjoying my first summer in Oz. This, so far, involves the six of us (Liir, Rose, Birian, Fabala, Pippa and I) lounging around in the castle grounds, generally doing absolutely nothing. It helps that most of Liir and Birian's work takes place secretly at night, leaving them free to spend their days with us. It also helps, of course, that Pippa is my new best friend, and I have a massive crush on Birian. Alright, it might be more than a crush. But I'm not about to stick a label on it this early on.

"How can I relax?" I sigh despairingly, "We could be doing so much"

"You're women" says Liir, rolling his eyes, "You can't fight"

"Great, here comes Liir Tiggular's daily dose of sexism" Pippa mutters, "Women can be quite intelligent, you know"

"I'm not arguing with that, I'm just saying – "

"Liir, give up. This is not an argument you're going to win" I laugh, catching Birian's eye as I do so. I've noticed he looks at me a lot more when I smile, so I smile a lot.

"They don't need us, anyway" says Fabala, laying down on the grass and hitching her skirt up even higher to tan her legs, "They can sort it without us hanging around"

"You're so naive, Fab" Pippa taunts, "You really don't care"

"I'm not naive, darling" Fabala giggles, glancing over at Liir, "Liir'll tell you"

Pippa and I grimace at one another, while Rose just smiles blandly at Birian. Liir and Fabala have got pretty 'close' lately – sickeningly so, if I'm honest. Rose says I'm jealous, because no-one wants me, which is just another example of her evilness. She's the real witch of our family, not my mother.

"I'm starting to get bored" says Birian – it always takes him a while to speak up, even though he's practically living with us now. He actually stayed in one of our guest rooms the other night – now that was awkward when I came stumbling out of the bath wrapped only in a blanket.

"Of what?" asks Liir, playing with Fabala's enviable golden locks. I twiddle with my own dull, dark hair grumpily.

"This" Birian gestures around us, "Not you guys, you're all great, it's just that I want to DO something! I want to fight"

"At least you'll get the opportunity" I grumble, but I don't think he's listening.

"Yeah, and we'll get our chance" says Liir, "It's just that my mother's always been a fan of careful planning"

"Oh yeah, and that's why she got pregnant with you while she was still on the run?" I grin, but if I'm honest he's telling the truth – Mum is a planner, but I suppose she has to be, what with Dad being so frivolous and spontaneous.

"Oh, hush, Mellie" Rose scolds, "You always bring that up. Anyway, surely they can't have much planning left to do? There's only so much forward thinking one can take!"

"My point exactly" Birian sighs, "If you ask me, it would be a whole lot quicker if we do what Melena said and meet with the Animals altogether. And your Mum's been reunited with the Grimmerie, the Animals would love to have her prove that she can actually use it – it would gain her a lot of their trust"

"But the fact that Chistery serves her loyally, without enslavement, must prove to them that she cares and is trustworthy?" I argue, "Yes, I think they should meet with the Animals, but I don't see why Mum should have to prove anything to them. She's Elphaba Thropp, for Oz's sake, she's not going to screw them over"

Birian's eyes are twinkling as he looks at me, "They might not see it like that, Melena. Think about what humans here have done to them, they're hardly going to swallow anything that's promised to them"

"They'll trust Mum" I said firmly, my eyes twinkling right back at him, "She sacrificed so much for them"

"But do they know that?" Birian's eyes are serious now, boring into mine, "Do they, Melena?"

"I don't know" I mumble, my throat drying up with the intensity of his gaze, "But I'm not helping them unless they take note of what she's done"

"Hey, kids!" Dad comes bounding towards us in his loveable way, pushing back his dark hair. Mum is walking with him, holding his hand, and Glinda and Avaric walk beside them. Glinda has a flush of girlish excitement in her taut cheeks.

"You all look cheerful" Pippa observes, "Do you have a plan?"

"Elphaba's pregnant!" Glinda shrieks.

"Glinda!" Mum cries despairingly, "I was going to work up to it gently!"

Glinda pulls a face, "What's the point in that, exactly?"

I stare at my parents, Dad beaming, Mum looking straight at me. It's my opinion she cares about the most, and right now she's willing me to smile and congratulate her.

I go one step better than that. I run up to her and kiss her cheek, then hug her bony body fiercely. I feel her heave a deep sigh of relief.

"You're okay, Melena?" she asks. I nod.

"Mum, it's brilliant. Honest, I'm so pleased!"

"I'm not!" Rose wails, "It's gross. You guys are way too old to have kids. It was supposed to be me or Fabala next"

"We're only in our thirties!" Dad protests, "And if you got pregnant, Rosie, I'd knock the guy's teeth out"

Rose looks anxiously at Birian, wary of this putting him off, but he is smiling at my parents.

"Congratulations" he says, shaking their hands, "That's lovely news"

"Yeah, for you, mate" Liir grumbles, "I'm with Rose on this, I think it's a bit sickening"

Fabala nods, pulling a face, "Yeah, Mum, don't you go having any more"

Avaric pulls a face, "Never, not after all the money you've cost us"

Pippa laughs, "Congratulations" she says to my parents, "I think it's really sweet"

"I'm four months" says Mum, gaining confidence, "I never found the right time to tell you...everything's been so stressful lately"

"You could have told me" I say, slightly reproachful. Mum gave me a small, knowing smile.

"You've had a lot to deal with too, Melena. I didn't want to burden you"

I hug her again, mollified, "Well I think it's adorable"

Dad ruffles my hair, "Thanks, Mel. Now, methinks we should take a break from our busy schedule...let's party!"


End file.
